Sing Down the Rain was published in August, 1997. The book is a narrative poem about the annual Tohono O'odham saguaro harvest and rain-making ceremony. The poem was written to be performed by a classroom of students. Michael Chiago, Tohono O'odham fine artist, painted the gouache and watercolor paintings. Tohono O'odham elder, Danny Lopez, served as the cultural advisor for the book.

The choral reading has been respectfully performed by people from diverse cultural backgrounds, including performances by Tohono O'odham students and elders on and off the Tohono O'odham reservation.

I have provided information about the book and an introductory reading, dedicated to my collaborators, on the TeachingBooks.net Web site.

Learn more about Read to Me/Vamos a leer

Star Bright Books Web Site

Read to Me/Vamos a leer is a child-sized book that encourages families to read, to sing, and to tell stories together. Kyra Teis's illustrations portray tender literacy moments between multiethnic, intergenerational family members. Mary Margaret Mercado composed the Spanish adaptation found in Vamos a leer. The poem was originally written for a pregnant teen literacy project, to which I donate a portion of my royalties on this book.

I recorded a brief introduction and reading of the book on the TeachingBooks.net Web site.